Animal training and racing apparatus



Sept. 17, 1929.

W. SCHEM ANIMAL TRAINING AND RACING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1927 5SheetsSheet 1 Sept. 17, 1929. w, sc E I 1,728,576

ANIMAL TRAINING AND RACING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 192"! 5Sheets-Sheet2 Sept. 17, 1929. w sc 1,728,576

' ANIMAL TRAINING AND RACING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 3 V Fig. (5.

#0 I L-L! A; 20 a x l 3 W. SCHEM ANIMAL TRAINING AND RACING APPARATUSSept. 17, l 929.

Filed ly 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet I gnmmtoq, M M

. A i Q Sept. 17, 1929. w. SCHEM ANIMAL TRAINING AND RACING APPARATUS 5Sheets-Sheet gwuentoz Filed July 19. 1927 Patented Sept. 17; 1929 r1,728,576

UNITED STATES :PATENTOFFICE WALTER SCHEM, on scmm'ron, rnNNsYLvAjrIIA,455161103, ann x-cumin 'ro WHITFIELD BROOKE, or BILQXI, v vrxssrssrrrr,am o n-roon'rg T0 TRENT 1r. BARRE, or COLUMBUS, onro a ANIMAL TRAININGAND gnome mnm'mrs ,Applioation nled July 19, 1821; Serial No, 1 i

This invention relates to apparatus ior When considered with thedescription the rai ing o mals todevelop their ere n, he characteristicsof the invention speed, and for racing them, a a are apparent from theaccompanying draw- A track for the training and racing 0 i.ngs.;-formingpart hereof, wherein adapta- 5 dogs and other comparatively smallanimals tions of the invention particularly to the 50 usually comprisesa course inside of subtraining and racing of dogs are disclosed,stantially parallel fences between which the for purposes ofillustration; animals are induced to. run after a lure Althoughxthedisclosures herein exemplify conveyed in advance of them. what now areconsidered to beYpreferable It has been found that, When & 111115 i 0embodimentsxof' the invention, it is to be 55 ried by a memberprojecting into the course understoodthat it is not the intention to befrom the-side, the animals, upon overtaking limited necessarily theretoin interpretation the lure and in backcoursing, are liable to of the:claims, as modifications and adaptarun against, and be injured by, thesupporttions within the limits of the claims can be mg member; that,when the lure ison a madewithout: departing from. the nature of 60member extending upwardly through a slot the invention I from anunderground conveyer, the animals Like reference-characters refer tocorresometimes get their feet caught in the slot, 'sponding parts'in theviews of the drawings, and thus are injured; and that, when theof-whiehfi conveyer runs on rails of conventional type Fig. 1 is afragmentary plan of the appaon the ground, similar disadvantages attendratusicertain parts being broken away, and their use. the electriccircuits being shown diagram- Moreo ver, when the lure is conveyed inmatically a any of those ways, it is necessary in the Fig. 2 is a crosssection of one for-moi case of hurdle races. to provide hurdles withapparatusf a openings throughwhich the lure passes and Fig. 3 isaplan'view of the front truck which are closed by tripped doors that shutof the conveyer;

before the animals reach the hurdles, Such 4 is an end view thereof;

doors complicate the hurdles, increase the I Fig; 5 is an elevation ofthe lure conveyor expense of manufacture, and necessitate and 'carrierin association with'one'form of 7 their resetting for a subsequent race.track structure shown in section;

In order to avoid those and other dis Fig. 6 is an elevation of the lureconveyer advantages that heretofore have attended and carrier inassociation with another form the training and racing of small animals,of track structure shown in section;

the invention provides for overhead disposi- Fig. Tie a side elevationin the lure-con- 30 tion of the lure conveyer and carrier; and veyer ina'track structure; it also provides a ground-located structure 8 is anend elevation of the, lureso formed that it leaves the course free ofconveyer onagroundlocated track structure interference with the ,runningof the anishown'in section; malsl. l l 1 "Fig. 9 is a plan view of thelure-conveyer. \85

T e invention a soprovides a ure-con- 7 a a veyer that is adapted to runon tracks of I and tmek fgtmctwe'g 1 different types, whereby it issuitable Ion use A track forthe training and racing of on various sortsof overhead and around small animals is exemplified by Fig. 1, S PPO tS-I wherein S designates a spectators stand, and

pending from the cross members; and oppositely-disposed fiat tracks 14extending inwardly from the side members, the tracks,

being of such width as to leave a continuous slot or opening betweentheir inner edges for a purpose hereinafter explained. The parts of thetrack structure may be held together in an suitable manner, as by bolts15 extending throughthe cross members,

and they preferably should have weathertight assembly to provide ahousing that affords protection to the lure-conveyer and otherinstrumentalities therein.

Another form of track structure, suitable for mounting on permanentfencing'already in place and defining the boundaries of the course, aswell as'fencin built to accommodate it, is illustrated by ig.'5.

That structure, like the other: form, includes a cover 12,:side members13, and a flat track 14. The cover and track are supported,respectively, by brackets 16 secured to the fence-posts 10, and siding17 opposite to the posts depends from the cover to such place as toleave a continuous slot between it and theouter side of member 13, for apurpose hereinafter explained.

Still another form' oftrack structure is disclosed by Figs. 6 and 8; andit includes longitudinally-extending upright 18, on

which exwhich is mounted a flat track 14", tends around the course,

When such a track structure is positioned at the surface of the ground,as shown by Fig. 8, theupright 18 is anchored to transverse members' 19buried in the ground at the bottom of a continuous comparatively shallowtrench'T, andthe track 14" is positioned slightly above. the top of thetrench.

The trackis as wide as, or: wider than, the top of the trench, in orderto constitute a cover that will prevent the legs of animals from gettinginto the trench.

, T Vhen a: T-shapedtrack structure such as ibyFigs. 2and-5,'oppositely-disposed electric conductors-2O are mounted on theside members 13, and in'the T-form structure the conductors are mountedon the sides of the upright 18.

Lure-conveyer The lure-conveyer comprises a frame 21, upon which ismounted a motor 22 having a drive-shaft 23 arranged to drive, throughthe instrumentalityof suitable. gearing in a case 24, an axle 25journaled on the rear part of the frame and having fast thereondrive-wheels 26. The conveyer-frame is supported at the front, andpivotally connected by a king-bolt 27 with a four-wheel truck.

The truck comprises a central member 28, through which the king-boltextends; shafts 29 projecting laterally from each side of the centralmember, having nuts 30 on their outer terminals and coil-springs 31inside of the nuts; side members 32, through which i the shafts 29extend, and which are held against the central member by the coil trackstructure and thus guide the conveyer -while in motion. Arms 37, fast onthe upper portions of the shafts 35, carry any suit-- able type ofcontact members, such, for example, as trolley-wheels 38, which run incontact with the conductors 20. Reliable contact of those wheels withthe conductors is maintained by pairs of arms 39, fast on those shafts,and connected bysprings 40. The contact members 38 are connected withthe motor by conductors 41, which extend through the shafts 35.

Three pairs of contact members 38 are provided-one pair on the frame andtwo on the truck-in order that it may be certain that at least one ofthem on each side at all times is in contact with the line conductors 20on its side and thus avoid breakage of the circuit through the motor atany time owing to curves and irregularities of the track structureencountered during progress of the conveyer;

When a conveyer that has been used with an overhead track structure suchas shown by Figs. 2 and 5 is to be employed on a T- form track such asshown by Figs. 6 and 8, adaptation to the latter form of track readilycan be made, by removing the supports of the underslung lure-carrierhereinafter described, and by making other changes; namely: 3

The truck members 32 are swung over on the shafts 29 to reverse theupper and lower nected from opposite arms 39 as shown by Fig. 9 andreconnected to the two on each side of the truck, as shown by Fig. 8.

A similar redisposition of the guide and trolley wheels on the rearportion of the conveyer also is made.

Lure-carrier Vhen the conveyer runs on an overhead type of trackstructure such as exemplified by Fig. 2, the lure-carrier is supportedby members 42 connected to the under side of the conveyer-frame anddepending therefrom through the slot between the tracks 14. A member ormembers 43 are connected to the supports 42 inany suitable manner, and alure 44. is at the lower end thereof.

hen the conveyer runs on an overhead type of track structure such asexemplified by Figs. 5 and 6, a supporting member 45 on the conveyerdepends through the slot between the member 18 and the siding 17, andthe member l3 of the carrier is secured to and depends therefrom; Inthat instance the lure-carrier is counterbalanced by weights W on theopposite side of the conveyer. I

When the conveyer runs on a ground-located track structuresuch asexemplified by Fig. 8, the lure is mounted on and covers a frame orother suitable support 46 on top of the conveyer.

Operation The electric conductors 20 are connected with a control deviceI? of conventional. form in the judges standor in any other desiredplace, and the starting and stopping of the lure-conveyer, and theregulation of its speed to keep it in advance of the pursuing animals,are controlled by that device, which is arranged to vary the potentialin the conductors.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lure-conveyer, side members reversible in substantially verticalplanes, carrying-wheels on said members, and guidewheels on said membersrotatable about substantially vertical axes.

2. In a lure-conveyer, a central member, shafts extending laterallytherefrom, side membersturnable on said shafts to reverse their upperand lower sides,carrying-Wheels on said side members, and guide-wheelson said side members rotatable about substantia'llyvertical axesi '3. Ina vlure-conveyer, a central member, shafts extendinglaterally therefrom,side members tini'nableonsaid shafts to reverse their upper and, lowersides, springs re straining outward movement 'of said' side.

members on said shafts, and guide-wheels on said side membersrotatablemtially Vertical axes. I v

In a lure-conveyor, side members reversible in substantially verticalplanes 'carrying wheelson said members, substantially upright shafts onsaid inembers, and guide-wheels on said shafts. I

5. In a lure-conveyor, side members rovers ible in substantiallyvertical planes, carrying-wheels on said members, substantially uprightshafts on said members, and'guidewheels and current-collectors"on said.shafts.

'6. In alure-conveyer, apairof side members. reversible insubstantially, vertical;

planes, .rockable substantially upright shafts on said members,current-collectors.fast on said shafts, 'a radial arm fast on'eachofsaid shafts, and springs for interchangeably connecting saidarms'. a

7. In a lure-conveyor, a pair of side members reversible insubstantially vertical planes, rockable substantially upright shafts ongsaid members, current-collectors fast'on said shafts, a radial arm faston each of about substana said shafts,=andfsprings connectable either tothearms on the'same side or opposite sides.

8.'In a lureconveyer,"a rockable hollow shaft,a current-collectorfastonsaid shaft, a conductor connected with said collector disposedthrough said shaft, and ,mea'nsas ated with said shaft whereby said;collector is pressed against a line conductor. QLO A lure-conveyorcomprlsmg aframe,

drive-wheels thereon, an electric motor arranged to a drive said wheels,and a truck including side. members, carrylng-wheels journaledthereon,and current collectors on 11 said s1de members, said sidemembersbeingreversibleto dispose said collector's above I or, below the surface uponwhich said. wheels are to run, and. conductors connecting saidcollectors and motor. 4 a I i 11. The combination, with a track and anelectric conductor -disposedl longitudinally with respect thereto,-of anelectrically-pro.-

pelled .conveyer comprisinga side member,- and, a current-collectorthereon,- sald side member being reversible to dispose said collectorabove or below said track in accordance with the location of saidconductor with respect thereto.

12. The combination, with a track and electric conductors disposedlongitudinally with respect thereto, of an electrically-propelledconveyer comprising side members, current-collectors thereon, said sidemembers being reversible to dispose said collectors above or below saidtrack in accordance with the location of said conductors with respectthereto, and means whereby said collectors are pressed against saidconductors in each position.

13. The combination, with a track and electric conductors disposedlongitudinally with respect thereto, of an electrically-propelledconveyor. comprising oppositelydisposed side members reversible insubstantially vertical planes, carrying-wheels thereon traversable' ofsaid track in either position of said members, guide-wheels on saidmembers contactable with edges of said track when in one position, andcurrent-collectors on said members contactable with said conductorseither above or below said track in accordance with the disposition ofsaid side members.

14:. The combination, with an upright support, a flat track thereon, andan electric conductor disposed longitudinally with respect thereto, of aconveyer comprising carrying-whee1s, guide-wheels contactable withopposite edges of said track, and a currentcollector contactable withsaid conductor.

15. The combination, with an upright support, a flat track thereon, andelectric conductors disposed on each side of said support, ofa conveyercomprising carryingwheels, guide-wheels contactablewith opposite edgesof said track, current-collectors, and means whereby said collectors arepressed against said conductors.

16. The combination, with an upright support, a flat track thereon, andelectric conductors disposed on each side of said support, of a conveyorcomprising side members, carrying-wheels thereon, guide-wheelscontactable with opposite edges of said track, current-collectors, andmeans whereby said collectors are pressed against said conductors, saidside members being reversible to bring said collectors to higherdisposition to accommodate them to another location of said conductors.

17. In a race-course having a continuous trench extending therearound, atrack structure comprising a support in said trench, and aconveyer-track on said support above and covering the top of saidtrench.

' 18. In a race-course having a continuous trench extending therearound,a track structure for an electrically-propelled lureconveyer comprisingan upright support in

